How to Choose an Instrument for your Child

[classicmommy]

I have been teaching my 7  year old piano for a year an a half. She LOVES it. I was planning on getting her a teacher. Then I got thinking, "Should I invest money in lessons in a band or orchestra instrument instead?"  Maybe I am thinking too far down the road, but scholarships entered my mind. As well as the opportunity to play in a group setting.

 

I am probably making this decision harder than it should be. I would love to hear your experiences.

[Jackie]

We found "Meet the Instruments" lessons with someone who has a well-stocked music studio. DD was able to try out well over a dozen different instruments during her lessons to figure out what she loved most. My thought is that if I'm going to have her practice regularly, she should be practicing the instrument of her own choice.

[momma2three]

My daughter is 8, and has been taking lessons for almost 3 years.

 

This year she is in 3rd grade, and the public school in our town offers an after-school strings class for 3rd and 4th graders that is kind of absurdly cheap, at least so far as music lessons go... $300 for the whole year, including instrument rental.  Now, it's a 45 minute a week class, and they teach violin, viola, and cello together, so you kinda get what you pay for, and I was in no way expecting her to become a virtuoso through this class... she's just been asking to take a string instrument, and the price is right, and her friend is in the class.

 

I was talking to her teacher today, who said that DD is miles ahead of all the other kids already.  It's only the 5th week of lessons, I think.  But having the piano under her belt is definitely a huge part in why she's doing so well.  I admit that I think it's also in part because my other two kids take string instruments, so she's been hearing me talk about bow holds and whatnot for 2 years now.  But thanks to piano, she can already read music (viola is in its own clef, which I thought would be confusing, but she figured it out immediately) and understands tempo, and has her own practice strategies.

 

So, I am in no way a musical expert, which I know that plenty of people here are, but I wanted to throw my own experience in... I personally would continue with piano, and then if/when she decides to add an extra instrument, I think that it will be much easier and more enjoyable.  It's also worth noting that most band instruments are pretty hard for young kids to play... most of the schools around here (music or public) don't really let the kids start anything you need breath to play until about 5th grade.

[Ali in OR]

Both of our kiddos started with piano--I think 6 years for older and 5 for younger. When they hit middle school, they took band and science at the public middle school (home schooled everything else). So as 6th graders they started clarinet and trumpet respectively. Everyone was a beginner in 6th grade band, so you don't really need to start before that imo. They were also able to try different instruments before choosing. Piano experience did help. My girls dropped piano eventually, but especially for older dd, band is providing her peer group in public high school. We have no home school band around here, so if we had stayed home schooling for 9th-12th grade, a band instrument wouldn't have made much sense. But since our kids transition to public high school, it's been a great way for them to meet good kids and have a place they belong. And I think they like band a lot better than piano lessons!

[Hypatia.]

For my kids, it pretty much came down to choosing an instrument that was easily available and fit in the budget & schedule. We have a very affordable homeschool strings program, so DS1 and DD1 both did a year or two of violin before switching to viola and cello, respectively. It would have been nice to have a broader range of instruments available for them to choose from (other than just strings), but the band program is limited and not as well organized. They both enjoy it, especially DS1, and my others will also start a stringed instrument when they turn 8. There is a local youth orchestra available if they are interested when they are 12+. 

[MinivanMom]

Go ahead and get her a piano teacher if she's feeling good about taking lessons. If you keep exposing her to musical experiences (trips to the symphony, attending "meet the instruments" or "musical zoo"-type events), then she will develop a strong sense of what she wants to play.

 

My 3 older kids have all started on piano, which was their choice; I didn't force them to play. Having the foundation of piano has been a huge benefit. One child has decided that piano is his instrument, one child has added a second instrument, and one child is about to switch from piano to a different instrument. All have benefited from the years of piano lessons.

[FO4UR]

Stick with piano.

 

A child who has taken 3-5 years of piano can waltz into lessons with ANY other instrument and soar.  A child who plays the flute or clarinet can only read the treble clef, and will struggle to learn piano later.  If your child is musically gifted and desires to make it a career, lacking piano skill (regardless of what instrument she prefers) will be a stumbling block.  Keep at it until she can pick up almost any piece and sight read most of it, and play it well with a reasonable amount of practice.

 

She loves piano, so there is no reason at all to change.  Find a great teacher.  If you can afford it and she can handle the load, continue piano even after she begins a band instrument. 

 

There is no reason not to buy her a nice little recorder and show her the notes on that.  If you are teaching her piano, I assume you play.  You can play her nice little accompaniments while she plays simple tunes on the recorder.  Piano + Recorder = walking into any woodwind, learning the embouchure & fingerings, and playing away.

[Janeway]

If you are thinking scholarships, she will want an more unusual high needs instrument. For example, the flute or the violin probably won't earn her any scholarships. But a viola or a French Horn might. But do consider what she might enjoy.

[wintermom]

Many people continue with piano and add another instrument, such as violin and/or voice. Both of these are wonderful for group experiences immediately, or later down the road.

 

I don't know a lot about the scholarship opportunites in the US, but where I live a child must have a desire to perform in solo situations to compete for these. So there are two completely different aspects to music experiences that you are looking at - ensemble playing, and all that encompasses, and solo performances. You have to see how your child reacts in these settings. Two of my dc love playing and performing in ensembles and dislike solo performances (though they'll do it for family concerts), and two who love performing solo and group situations alike. My youngest ds is a non-stop performer, though I'm not so sure he's got the self-discipline to practice the hours it would take to compete for scholarships, and that is totally fine with us. Our family goals are to instill a life-long love of making music and sharing with others. 

 

For our family, 3 of the 4 dc started with piano lessons at around age 6 and eventually switched to either violin or classical guitar and are loving their string experiences - both solo songs and ensemble repetoire. They all play a third instrument in a concert band. The fourth child showed a strong desire to start on violin at age 5, and he has done well though music theory is slightly harder for him. He also plays trumpet in a concert band. All 4 dc also sing in a choir.

[Michael12]

One thing to understand about young kids and instrumental music is that woodwind and brass instruments come as the full-size adult models. String instruments, on the other hand, come in fractional sizes so you can get a 1/8 or 1/16 - down to a 1/64! - size violin. Another thing is that brass and woodwind instruments are best started after adult teeth are in and settled. Fourth grade is good to start, particularly if by the midpoint of that year the faster moving kids can have opportunities to thrive. I agree with an earlier poster that piano and recorder are wonderful foundations for any further studies.

[momacacia]

Actually, my oldest started Suzuki flute with a flute with a bent head at 7 years old. Sure, it's not like starting Suzuki violin at 4, but it at least flute can start a bit earlier with the bent head.

[Jennay]

I'm a beginning band teacher for a community youth band comprised mostly of homeschooled children and I have a "petting zoo" at the beginning of the school year where the children try all the band instruments. They can decide which one they like the best and we can determine which instrument is the "best fit" for them. It's amazing; most of the time one instrument just stands out for each student. There are lots of factors - mouth shape, how the sound is produced (some kids jusy can't buzz their lips), how the instrument is held, etc.

 

ETA: I would not recommend starting a band instrument until age 9 or 10 - mostly for physical development reasons. For example, for the clarinet the adult front teeth need to have come in and sometimes the fingers are not large enough to cover the holes.

[Donna]

Our family listened to a lot of different music so I simply asked the kids to pick an instrument they'd like to learn and went from there. I figured if they picked an instrument that appealed to them, they would be more motivated to practice.

 

It worked.

[duckens]

Disclaimer: You do not need to answer any questions here.  The questions are for your own contemplation and discussion with your daughter and husband.

1) If you are able to continue teaching your dd piano, do so.  it will save your family money, and you can move at the pace and teaching style that you know works for your dd. 

I am currently teaching piano to my dds (ages 4 and 8).  When older dd took lessons at the music school downtown the teacher moved her too slowly.  If dd could immediately play a song perfectly, the teacher STILL had her play it all week long with no new songs.  Theoretically, I taught dd more than the teacher did.  Of course, it is possible for you to find a fabulous piano teacher who is a good fit for your daughter; it's just a crapshoot.

The time will come that my daughters pass me musically.  At that time, we will look into an outside teacher.

2) Do/did you play a non-piano instrument?  This may be a good choice for your dd because, even if you pay an outside teacher, you can help dd with the more practical aspects of the instruments (reading a special clef, holding the instrument, etc).  She can always change later.

3) Consider parent-child lessons.  Yes, you need to obtain two instruments, but you could rent or watch Craig's list.  A "group" lesson would be cheaper than two individual lessons, and, again, you could help your young daughter with an adjustment to a new instrument.

4) Consider lessons for only you.  Then you could come home and teach your daughter what you know.  This would not be my first choice, but you know your capabilities better than I do.

5) What is your goal for your daughter? 

When I think about a (second) life-long instrument for my dd, I think about guitar lessons.  Many people continue to enjoy playing the guitar beyond high school. 

On the other hand, if your daughter wants to take Oboe or French Horn, or the Drums, it is POSSIBLE for her to learn these as an adult, but it is NOT LIKELY that she would.  Childhood is a great time to learn these instruments, even if they are never used once the child graduates from high school.

Which is the better fit for your daughter?

[Tsuga]

We are doing Suzuki instruments first based on choice (piano, violin, recorder, you choose) and they will choose another instrument at school for orchestra in 5th grade. I will encourage them to think about scholarships and novelty etc. at that point. DD6 also wants to switch to mandolin from violin ASAP but there are no teachers nearby so violin it is.

[kiwik]

Like another poster when my children start an instrument (about 10 when they start intermediate) we will look at what is available and affordable.

[cottonmama]

There are plenty of benefits to knowing piano -- you learn a great deal of music theory for it, you can play in weddings and at parties, you can accompany other musicians. It's also easier to play as an adult with young children, because you don't have a fragile instrument to get out and put away.  My sister plays her piano more than I play my violin now.  Something to consider.

 

There are chamber groups that include pianos -- piano trios and piano quintets, at least.  Of course there will be more competition for these spots (there was a single pianist in our youth orchestra, and I believe he played in a couple of our chamber groups as well).

 

So while it's true that she won't generally get to play in groups, and she probably won't get a scholarship for piano, those things shouldn't be enough reason not to study piano.   It's a great instrument to know, and if she likes it, I say go for it.

[JanetC]

Can you really predict which instrument will have the most scholarship opportunities 11 years from now when she is graduating high school? If she loves piano, stick with piano. Kids are most likely to practice (and thereby get to a scholarship level proficiency) on an instrument that they love to play.

 

Most kids who take music lessons don't get music scholarships, just like most kids who play sports don't get sports scholarships. The does not mean that the time is wasted on these activities.

[Michael12]

It's not like careers and majors where things change and new careers appear that weren't dreamed of fifteen years ago. I can assure you that every orchestra, concert band, and wind ensemble will want bassoons. If you are a good (not necessarily amazing) player, you will be in demand. I'm not promising a scholarship, of course. The investment, however, is considerable (top of the line runs like $30,000, even plastic ones cost a couple of thousand). This is not an instrument that you can go out and rent. It's not one that most elementary (or even middle) schools will be able to supply. High schools might have instruments, but likely not high quality or good condition.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/aug/01/save-the-bassoon-campaign-endangered-instrument?CMP=fb_gu

 

Other than that, I'd say oboe then French horn. Those three ensembles will always need those. Maybe harp, but generally only for orchestra. Other instruments might fluctuate in demand, like tuba, euphonium, trombone. If you don't want a scholarship, be a mediocre (or even good) clarinetist or violinist.